W
westie
.
well, i had my first valversary celebrations at the belgian beer "occidental tavern" in vulcan lane last sunday; and no one from vr.com came along..
i am going to make this an annual event.
it was just one year ago that i stopped at the occidental on my way to the hospital for my mitral valve repair and had a great lunch and 3 jumbo sizes of dark brune beer. my logic was i should have a "last beer" in case repair was not possible. then i had to drive us to the hospital as my non drinking wife was too nervous about the operation!
the repair failed, i got an on-x and poor mrs westie cried all night about this because the surgeon and cardiologist had told us what a terrible thing artificial valves and warfarin were.
me, well i always doubted that repair was possible, i was never fussed about getting an artificial valve and one year later can say i live a totally normal life, normal diet, normal drinking, normal loving and working. warfarin is no drama. all my heart indicators are excellent.
actually i think i am better off with a mechanical valve than a tissue valve or even a repair. i guess this is herasy in some quarters, but tissue valves need repacing every 10 to 20 years and valve repairs DO FAIL, sometimes after quite short periods.
at least with my on-x valve i can probably look to the future in the knowledge that i have a lifelong solution. my wonderfull surgeon, he is the very best, told me my mechanical valve was second best (to repair, tissue valves being regarded as no option at all) but i reckon plan b was really plan a!
all the stories about warfarin dangers, bleeding etc, diet and drinking problems, dangers of physical activity, the dangers of pocket knives and razor blades blah blah are crap.
the most important thing is that i am still the same person, i am no better or worse. (granted my heart does not thump away when i am walking etc...)
the memory of the operation will always be with me, but at least the feeling of dread and impending death has departed!!
looking forward to my next beery valversary!
well, i had my first valversary celebrations at the belgian beer "occidental tavern" in vulcan lane last sunday; and no one from vr.com came along..
i am going to make this an annual event.
it was just one year ago that i stopped at the occidental on my way to the hospital for my mitral valve repair and had a great lunch and 3 jumbo sizes of dark brune beer. my logic was i should have a "last beer" in case repair was not possible. then i had to drive us to the hospital as my non drinking wife was too nervous about the operation!
the repair failed, i got an on-x and poor mrs westie cried all night about this because the surgeon and cardiologist had told us what a terrible thing artificial valves and warfarin were.
me, well i always doubted that repair was possible, i was never fussed about getting an artificial valve and one year later can say i live a totally normal life, normal diet, normal drinking, normal loving and working. warfarin is no drama. all my heart indicators are excellent.
actually i think i am better off with a mechanical valve than a tissue valve or even a repair. i guess this is herasy in some quarters, but tissue valves need repacing every 10 to 20 years and valve repairs DO FAIL, sometimes after quite short periods.
at least with my on-x valve i can probably look to the future in the knowledge that i have a lifelong solution. my wonderfull surgeon, he is the very best, told me my mechanical valve was second best (to repair, tissue valves being regarded as no option at all) but i reckon plan b was really plan a!
all the stories about warfarin dangers, bleeding etc, diet and drinking problems, dangers of physical activity, the dangers of pocket knives and razor blades blah blah are crap.
the most important thing is that i am still the same person, i am no better or worse. (granted my heart does not thump away when i am walking etc...)
the memory of the operation will always be with me, but at least the feeling of dread and impending death has departed!!
looking forward to my next beery valversary!
